Sal, may I ask: When will the Chap FRN be available again?

[Wartstein]

Hello Mr. Glesser,

Any estimation when the Chaparral FRN will show up in stock at the dealers again (both in the US and in Europe, don´t know about the availability in the rest of the world)?

I am for the most part not asking for me, cause luckily I already have my Chap FRN for some time and am still blown away by it.
But lately the Chap has been very positively disussed on this forum several times, and I got the impression that based on that quite some people wanted or tried to purchase one, but its just very hard to find at the moment.

I´d totally grant everyone to experience the great design and properties of this little knife (and the XHP steel!), so I sure hope it will be available soon again - ?

I may sound somewhat unselfish here (since I already have a Chap...), but in fact I´d also like to hear the impressions of other forum members and discuss the Chap FRN here of course... :D

Thanks!

[steelcity16]

The Chap LW is in my opinion the most well executed knife I have ever owned. It is literally perfect in every way and there is nothing I would change about it. I don't know if I can say that about any other knife. It is unbelievably smooth as well. It feels like it is opening and closing on glass. A true masterpiece. A work of art. A must own.

A Chap LW Salt in PE FFG LC200N is a grail knife for me. I hope we see this eventually. I think we will given the popularity of the model.

[Wartstein]

The Chap LW is in my opinion the most well executed knife I have ever owned. It is literally perfect in every way and there is nothing I would change about it. I don't know if I can say that about any other knife. It is unbelievably smooth as well. It feels like it is opening and closing on glass. A true masterpiece. A work of art. A must own.

I never thought about it that way, but you are right! While I´d still prefer other knives as my ONLY knife (Stretch 1 for example), on all my other favorites I´d find one or two tiny details I´d change if I´m very nitpicky, they are just almost perfect.

Not so the Chap FRN, it IS perfect for what it is as a small knife!

[steelcity16]

The Chap LW is in my opinion the most well executed knife I have ever owned. It is literally perfect in every way and there is nothing I would change about it. I don't know if I can say that about any other knife. It is unbelievably smooth as well. It feels like it is opening and closing on glass. A true masterpiece. A work of art. A must own.

I never thought about it that way, but you are right! While I´d still prefer other knives as my ONLY knife (Stretch 1 for example), on all my other favorites I´d find one or two tiny details I´d change if I´m very nitpicky, they are just almost perfect.

Not so the Chap FRN, it IS perfect for what it is as a small knife!

Exactly! I choose the Spyderhawk and Pacific Salt as my "only 2" Spydies, but the Chap LW is perfect for what it is. I do EDC it more than any other knife.

[Doc Dan]

The Chap LW is in my opinion the most well executed knife I have ever owned. It is literally perfect in every way and there is nothing I would change about it. I don't know if I can say that about any other knife. It is unbelievably smooth as well. It feels like it is opening and closing on glass. A true masterpiece. A work of art. A must own.

A Chap LW Salt in PE FFG LC200N is a grail knife for me. I hope we see this eventually. I think we will given the popularity of the model.

This is a good assessment of the knife. I like everything about it and would not change anything on this model. I would like to see a slip joint version, at some point, but fitted out the same way otherwise, no other changes.

[Cscottsss]

Yeah, wish I could find one in stock!

[Unadan]

A week ago or so I emailed Sypderco (Colorado) concerning when this knife would become available again. I was told "no ETA" at this time. Why wouldn't the company know when a new batch would be manufactured? Maybe I should email the Taiwan plant.

[Cscottsss]

The Chap LW is in my opinion the most well executed knife I have ever owned. It is literally perfect in every way and there is nothing I would change about it. I don't know if I can say that about any other knife. It is unbelievably smooth as well. It feels like it is opening and closing on glass. A true masterpiece. A work of art. A must own.

A Chap LW Salt in PE FFG LC200N is a grail knife for me. I hope we see this eventually. I think we will given the popularity of the model.

This makes me want one even more, haha. I've always kind of overlooked this knife until the recent hype train and now I want one bad.

[elena86]

Where is SMOCK. KAPARA ... ? What's going on in Taichung ... ??? :eek:

[jpm2]

Where is SMOCK. KAPARA ... ? What's going on in Taichung ... ??? :eek:

I wonder if the china tariff war is affecting Taichung.

[Wartstein]

I wonder if the china tariff war is affecting Taichung.

I don't think so, for Taichung is in Taiwan, but not in China.
EDIT: I should probably put it more precisely: Though the US tariffs on the peoples republic of China do NOT apply to Taiwan either, Taiwan could still be affected by it indirectly I am sure

[murphjd25]

Spydies are very popular and elusive at the moment it would seem!

[sal]

Hi Wartstein,

We made some changes to the mold (CQI). Production should resume soon.

sal

[steelcity16]

Hi Wartstein,

We made some changes to the mold (CQI). Production should resume soon.

sal

Are you able to say what changes? The Chap LW is probably the most perfect knife I have had the pleasure of owning. There honestly isn't a thing I would change, so I'm surprised to hear there is CQI to the mold.

[Wartstein]

Hi Wartstein,

We made some changes to the mold (CQI). Production should resume soon.

sal

Hi Sal,

many thanks for your reply!

Like "steelcity 16" I can´t think of any even tiniest detail that could be improved concerning the Chap FRN, but since you are the one who actually designed it, you must have found something... Courious what THAT could be though. Maybe just something that makes producing the knife more efficient?

Howsoever, I am glad that this model will be available again soon. Really, it´s clearly the knife that exceeded my initial expectations the most of all knives when I actually had it in hand. Just perfect.

/ I´d once more like to encourage everyone who loves Spyderco to give the Chap FRN a try, as soon as it is available again. Even if one decides to sell it again, it´s worth it having experienced that design. Lock, ergos, fit and finish are just great, but what´s at least as important as that: The Chap fits even in Spydercvos lineup somehow in its own category. I mean, if you want to have "just" a smaller knife, there are Delica, Para 3, Sage and so on. All great knives, and one might choose one over the other cause he likes the comp. lock or backlock better, prefers a choil or no choil and so on.
But the Chap just has no competition or real alternatives in its class. There is just no other 2mm ffg blade, or such an overall very thin and short-when-closed knife, that still offers a lot of edge and does feel rock solid but still very light...
Add XHP steel and the price (if it remains the same...) and the package is really hard to beat imho

[Unadan]

Thanks Sal - as good as the current model is I'm glad to hear you continue to innovate and improve your products.

[SG89]

Can't wait to find out what they CQI'd in the mold

[Wartstein]

Can't wait to find out what they CQI'd in the mold

Maybe it's just to be found out when disassembling the knife and looking at the INSIDE of the scales?? I mean what on earth could possibly be improved on the outside?? The scales (and the whole knife) are perfect imho...

We'll see... courious too..

[sal]

We're moving the clip screw location a tad to ensure a more secure clip mounting. Not a big deal, but when we see something that we think can be a bit better, we generally make the change.

sal

[Wartstein]

We're moving the clip screw location a tad to ensure a more secure clip mounting. Not a big deal, but when we see something that we think can be a bit better, we generally make the change.

sal

Thanks for the insight!

That attention to detail keeps amazing me, really. Respect! Just great philosophy, that approach.

That being said: I am perfectly happy with the clip of my Chap. But if you found a way to make it even better: Great! :)